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Festive rape: 'Men don't respect women' as 60 cases recorded

Stop rape
Stop rape

A lot has been said and done with supporting laws introduced but seemingly not enough to change reality for women as they continue to live in constant fear of sexual violence from would-be rapists. Statistics released by the Botswana Police Service (BPS) reveal a troubling surge in rape cases over the just-ended festive holiday season with 60 women reportedly raped.

In 2023, Botswana reviewed and increased penalties for sexual offences, but this has not deterred men from sexually violating women. Government, through the BPS, has conducted numerous men's conferences (Pitso ya Borre) in villages across the country to sensitise men about rape, as they are typically the perpetrators of this scourge.

However, these efforts appear to have had little impact, as rape cases continue to spiral out of control. For years, communities have been condemning rape as an awful act that leaves scars, both visible and invisible, on mainly the female population. This trauma continues to spread like wildfire worriedly. In some cases, women and girls are woken up from deep sleep in an attack that results in rape. Others are attacked and raped whilst walking alone with some falling victim to family members or friends who sexually assault them. The 2023 World Population Review cited Botswana as having the highest incidence of rape in the world, at 92.93 per 100,000 people. This nerve-racking traumatic experience has become a norm despite several interventions by the police to deter rape incidents. One may even say the country needs an urgent response to curb the scourge as the nation remains hopeful in the dawn of the new administration following the Umbrella of Democratic Change taking power last year.

Reacting to the festive season rape statistics, Women Against Rape coordinator, Peggy Ramaphane said a lot has been done to curb rape cases. Still, nothing seems to be changing as women and girls continue to suffer sexual violations at the hands of their male counterparts. She further blamed the wheels of justice for frustrating their efforts together with the police in the endeavour to curb the scourge as rape cases take longer to prosecute. “More evidence is lost whilst cases are yet to be prosecuted," she said, adding the cases take years to head for prosecution. She highlighted that justice for the victims is delayed to the point that they make peace with the perpetrators. This is especially so if the victim is related to or familiar with the perpetrator. The hopes for justice are often dashed leaving victims no recourse but to move on with their lives as they lose interest in participating in the prosecution processes which can negatively impact the case outcome. Moreover, the longer the case stands, the higher the chances of some evidence being lost. "To tell the truth, our justice system is frustrating our efforts to curb these cases,” she said.

Ramaphane added that laws are enacted but implementation remains a hurdle as the country faces a shortage of Magistrates to prosecute rape cases. She further stated that special courts to prosecute rape cases were piloted but no longer operational, something that has created a backlog of rape cases in the judicial system. “We need specialised courts to deal with rape cases because some women don't report rape because they have given up on our justice system. Laws have been made, penalties increased but we don't have support structures to deal with rape cases within a short period. “There is a long queue at the police forensic lab. DNA test results take a long time to be released whilst key in the prosecution of rape cases,” she said. Furthermore, Ramaphane believes "men don't respect women as they view them as sex tools they can violate when it pleases them".

She pointed out that "they feel entitled to a woman’s body as they always give silly excuses when a woman (or girl) has been raped". Ramaphane posited that preventing sexual violence should start at the family level from parents teaching their boy-child to respect girls and ultimately women.

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